CHAPTER \ HI 

 HUNTING IN THE SOTIK 



Oi'R Mext camp was in the middle of the vast plains, 

 by some limestone springs, at one end of a line of dark 

 acacias. Tliere were rocky koppies two or three miles 

 off on either hand. From the tents and white-topped 

 waggons we could see the game grazing on the open 

 flats or among the scattered wizened thorns. The skies 

 were overcast and the nights cool. In the evenings the 

 camp-fires blazed in front of the tents, and after supper 

 we gathered round them, talking or sitting silently, or 

 listening to Kermit strumming on his mandolin. 



The day after reaching this camp we rode out, hoping 



to get either rhino or giraffe. W^'e needed additional 



specimens of botli for the naturalists, who especially 



wanted cow giraffes. It was cloudy and cool, and the 



I common game was shy. Though we needed meat, 1 



(Could not get within fair range of the wildebeest, harte- 



'beest, topi, or big gazelle. However, I killed a couple 



of tommies, one by a good shot, the other running, after 



]1 had missed him in rather scandalous fashion while he 



iwas standing. 



I An hour or two after leaving the tents we made out 

 ■on the sky-line, a couple of miles to our left, some 

 'objects which scrutiny showed to be giraffe. x\fler 

 coming within a mile the others halted, and I rode 



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